List of pipeline accidents in the United States in 1994 explained

The following is a list of pipeline accidents in the United States in 1994. It is one of several lists of U.S. pipeline accidents. See also: list of natural gas and oil production accidents in the United States.

Incidents

This is not a complete list of all pipeline accidents., the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), a United States Department of Transportation agency, has collected data on more than 3,200 accidents deemed serious or significant since 1987.

A "significant incident" results in any of the following consequences:

• Fatality or injury requiring in-patient hospitalization.
• $50,000 or more in total costs, measured in 1984 dollars.
• Liquid releases of five or more barrels (42 US gal/barrel).
• Releases resulting in an unintentional fire or explosion.

PHMSA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) post-incident data and results of investigations into accidents involving pipelines that carry a variety of products, including natural gas, oil, diesel fuel, gasoline, kerosene, jet fuel, carbon dioxide, and other substances. Occasionally pipelines are re-purposed to carry different products.^[1]

The following incidents occurred during 1994:

• 1994 In January, a pipeline ruptured, dumping almost 162500USgal of oil in the Marais des Cygnes River in Osawatomie, Kansas. In addition to a $804,700 fine, BP Amoco agreed to spend at least $145,300 on a supplemental environmental project involving reconstruction improvements to Osawatomie's water intake.^[2]
• 1994 On January 16, a pipeline burst during a transfer operation at a tank farm in Saint Louis, Missouri, spilling gasoline. The company knew that some gasoline was missing, but waited until January 18 to confirm and report the loss. About 240000usgal of gasoline was spilled, with about 100000usgal entering the Mississippi River.^[3]
• 1994 The January 17 Northridge earthquake caused a crude oil pipeline to crack near Piru, California, spilling about 173000usgal of crude oil into the Santa Clara River. The cleanup took more than 600 workers six weeks to complete and cost more than $14 million.^[4]
• 1994 On February 1, the third explosion in seven years hit a LPG/NGL pipeline terminal in Iowa City, Iowa. Eleven workers at the terminal escaped injury, and six families within NaNmiles of the terminal were evacuated. The two previous explosions were in 1987 and 1989.^[5]
• 1994 On March 23, in Edison, New Jersey, previous damage caused a 36adj=midNaNadj=mid natural gas transmission pipeline to rupture. Several apartment buildings and a number of automobiles were destroyed in the massive fire. One woman died of a heart attack, and at least 93 others had minor injuries. Delays in shutting off one of the pipeline's valves was cited as contributing to the damage.^{[6] [7]}
• 1994 On May 8, a Sunoco pipeline leaked gasoline in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, forcing the evacuation of 50 homes. About 537oilbbl of gasoline were spilled.^{[8] [9]}
• 1994 On June 2, a Koch Industries pipeline spilled gasoline in Wichita, Kansas. About 79000usgal were spilled, and some of it caused interruptions in local water supply.^[10]
• 1994 A 2adj=onNaNadj=on steel gas service line that had been exposed during excavation separated at a compression coupling about 5feet from the wall of a retirement home in Allentown, Pennsylvania on June 9. The escaping gas flowed underground, passed through openings in the building foundation, migrated to other floors, and exploded. The accident resulted in 1 fatality, 66 injuries, and more than $5 million in property damage.^[11]
• 1994 Early on September 22, a resident near O'Fallon, Missouri detected a petroleum smell. The local fire department was called several hours later, noticed an oily mist in the area, and found a leaking pipeline. The owner of the 10-inch petroleum products pipeline later claimed the spill volume was less than 1000USgal, but later calculations and batch volume measurements indicate a spill of 29,000 to 37000USgal. EPA officials later admitted that someone lied about the spill volume. Over the next ten years, eight attempts at remediation were made before the O'Day Creek was cleaned of all petroleum products.^{[12] [13]}
• 1994 On October 8, a lightning strike shut a valve on a Koch Industries crude oil pipeline crossing Gum Hollow Creek while oil was flowing, triggering a pressure buildup that ripped a 50in2 hole in a section of the pipe that was already weakened by corrosion. Pipeline employees — unaware of the rupture in the pipe — turned the pipeline pumps back on after the pipeline shut down automatically, sending oil pouring into the creek for about an hour. The spill created a 12adj=midNaNadj=mid slick on Nueces and Corpus Christi Bays along the Texas Gulf Coast. Nearly seven years later, delicate coastal marshes that serve as a nursery for shrimp, flounder, crabs and other marine life had not fully recovered. The estimated spill size was 2151oilbbl, but that was disputed as being too small. Koch Industries eventually agreed to pay more than $45 million in damages. The company reported to PHMSA that the spill cost zero dollars in property damage.^{[14] [15] [16]}
• 1994 In October, record high flooding along the San Jacinto River in Texas led to the failure of eight pipelines crossing the river. Due to the flooding, many other pipelines were also undermined. More than 35000oilbbl of petroleum and petroleum products were released into the river. Ignition of the released products resulted in 547 people receiving (mostly minor) burn and inhalation injuries. Spill response costs exceeded $7 million, and estimated property damage losses were about $16 million.^{[17] [18]}
• 1994 On October 17, a natural gas explosion and fire destroyed a one-story, wood-frame building in Waterloo, Iowa. The force of the explosion scattered debris over a 200feet radius. Six people inside the building died, and one person sustained serious injuries. Three people working in an adjacent building sustained minor injuries when a wall of the building collapsed inward from the force of the explosion. The explosion also damaged nine parked cars. A person in a vehicle who had just left the adjacent building suffered minor injuries, and two firefighters sustained minor injuries during the emergency response. Two other nearby buildings also sustained structural damage and broken windows.^{[19] [20]}
• 1994 On November 21, a Buckeye Partners pipeline ruptured from incorrect operation in Moon Township, Pennsylvania. About 38,000 gallons of kerosene were spilled.^{[21] [22]}
• 1994 A leak of at least 20000USgal of diesel fuel was discovered on a Koch Industries pipeline near Plover, Wisconsin on November 29. The leak brought this pipeline's total spill volume to 100000USgal on a 91miles pipeline section through several years.^[23]

Notes and References

1. Data sets of PHMSA Pipeline Safety-Flagged Incidents for 1986–2001, 2002–2009, and 2010–2017 can be downloaded from the link by that name at PHMSA's Pipeline Incident Flagged Files page, accessed 10 December 2020. Also see
   • PHMSA Corrective Action Orders
   • PHMSA Pipeline Failure Investigation Reports
   • NTSB Pipeline Accident Reports
2. Web site: Worldwide Pipeline Incidents – April 2002 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080517110500/http://www.ukopa.co.uk/publications/pdf/020035.pdf . May 17, 2008.
3. Web site: Officials question delay in report of gasoline leak . The Southeast Missourian . Google News Archive Search . 10 December 2020 . Associated Press.
4. News: PIRU: River Oil Spill Cleanup Completed . Los Angeles Times . Jeff . McDonald . March 3, 1994.
5. Web site: Pipeline station blast cause investigated . The Telegraph-Herald . Associated Press . Google News Archive Search . 10 December 2020.
6. Web site: Accident Reports . February 6, 2015 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150404031901/https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/PAR9501.pdf . April 4, 2015.
7. Web site: Pipeline Accident Report PAR-95-01. National Transportation Safety Board . 18 January 2016.
8. Web site: Gasoline leak forces evacuation . Allegheny Times . Google News Archive Search . 10 December 2020 . Associated Press.
9. Web site: Incident on May 8, 1994 . ProPublica . 10 December 2020.
10. Web site: Koch defends record after fine . Hegeman . Roxana . Rome News-Tribune . Google News Archive Search . 10 December 2020 . Associated Press.
11. Web site: Pipeline Accident Report . June 9, 1994 . National Transportation Safety Board . 2016-01-18.
12. Web site: Web of Conspiracy – Remediation / clean up attempts-8 official-1 illegal. webofconspiracy.com. 18 January 2016.
13. Web site: Web of conspiracy – Test Results Two. webofconspiracy.com. 18 January 2016.
14. Web site: Koch Pipeline – Gum Hollow Oil Spill . US Fish and Wildlife Service . 2016-01-18.
15. Web site: Court records point to violations . https://web.archive.org/web/20161217150220if_/http://cjonline.com/stories/072401/bus_kochviolations.shtml#.WFVTjC-caHo . 17 December 2016 . Topeka Capital-Journal . 2001-07-24 . dead . Associated Press.
16. Web site: Incident on Oct. 8, 1994 . ProPublica . 1994-10-08 . 10 December 2020.
17. Web site: Safety Recommendations . February 4, 2016 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130624222224/https://www.ntsb.gov/doclib/recletters/1996/P96_23.pdf . June 24, 2013 . National Transportation Safety Board.
18. Web site: Safety Recommendations . February 4, 2016 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140811114143/http://ncsp.tamu.edu/reports/NTSB/ntsbPipeStudy/SIR9604.pdf . August 11, 2014 . National Chemical Safety Program, Texas A & M University.
19. Web site: Safety Recommendation . National Transportation Safety Board . April 30, 1998 . Pipeline Safety Trust . 10 December 2020.
20. Web site: Pipeline Accident Brief . October 17, 1994 . National Transportation Safety Board . 2016-01-18.
21. Web site: Kerosene Spill Contained in Moon . Beaver County Times . Google News Archive Search . 10 December 2020.
22. Web site: Incident on Nov. 21, 1994 . ProPublica . 10 December 2020.
23. Web site: The Milwaukee Journal – Google News Archive Search. https://web.archive.org/web/20160204082231/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=iEEgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=N38EAAAAIBAJ&pg=4797,7710320&dq=koch+pipeline+leak&hl=en. February 4, 2016. google.com. 18 January 2016 . dead.